News: Afghan, coalition forces secure remote northern Kandahar

Explosive ordnance disposal engineers, with the Afghan National Army's 3rd Commando Kandak, clear a helicopter landing zone of improvised explosive devices in a remote village in Khakrez District, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, March 19. The Commandos with support from members of Special Operations Task Force - South patrolled the village to secure the region of insurgents and improvised explosive device facilitation.

The operation was a coordinated effort involving commandos from the Afghan National Army’s 3rd Commando Kandak, Afghan National Police, Khakrez Deputy District Chief of Police, Akhtar Mohammed, and members of Special Operations Task Force – South.

Prior to the operation, insurgents had been using the area as a transient hub for movement through Kandahar, explained a team leader from SOTF – South on the ground.

The ANP detained seven suspected insurgents for additional questioning at the Khakrez District Center.

Khakrez Deputy Chief of Police Akhtar Mohammed, held a shura immediately after the joint forces secured the area.

“Many of the almost 175 men at the shura requested a lasting Afghan National Security Forces footprint in their area,” the team leader said. “[Mohammed] did an outstanding job promoting security efforts by the Afghan government.”